Entrepreneurial Eggs and Milk: Women Disrupting Traditional Livestock Models

Across rural India and other developing economies, a quiet revolution is unfolding—led by women and powered by goats, poultry, and entrepreneurial spirit. Once relegated to the peripheries of livestock management, women are increasingly emerging as leaders and innovators in small livestock enterprises. Through initiatives centered on eggs, milk and meat from small animals like goats, sheep and indigenous poultry, these women are disrupting traditional, male-dominated models of livestock farming and building resilient, profitable and sustainable livelihoods.

This article explores how women are transforming the small livestock sector, the challenges they face, and the innovation and enterprise models reshaping rural economies.

Traditionally, livestock ownership and decision-making, especially regarding large animals like cattle or buffalo, have been controlled by the male domain. Women, while heavily involved in daily care, had little say in marketing or revenue use. However, small livestock like poultry and goats are changing the equation.

• These animals are low-cost, low-risk, and suited to household-level care.

• Women often own and control small livestock, giving them access to income.

• Unlike large livestock, these animals can be turned over quickly, providing frequent income opportunities.

The result? A shift from subsistence to micro-social-rural-enterprise.

Women-led livestock enterprises are taking diverse forms across India:

Backyard Poultry Enterprises

• Women raise free-range indigenous breeds that fetch premium prices.

• Regular income from egg and meat sales enables savings and reinvestment.

• SHG-based models have been successful in states like Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh etc.

Goat Milk Micro-Dairies

• Goat milk is gaining popularity as a highly digestible, allergy-friendly alternative to cow’s milk.

• Women entrepreneurs are setting up mini-dairies, selling fresh milk, ice cream, cheese, and skincare products.

• In places like Rajasthan and Maharashtra, goat milk startups have partnered with women’s cooperatives.

Mobile Livestock Services

• Women trained as "Pashu Sakhis" (community livestock health workers) offer veterinary and extension services.

• These roles create dual livelihoods—serving the community and earning income.

Women are not just following traditional practices—they are innovating:

• Digital platforms: Many women entrepreneurs are using WhatsApp groups, mobile apps, and rural e-commerce portals to sell eggs and milk directly.

• Breed and feed innovation: Some collectives are experimenting with improved breeds and nutritive feed blends to boost productivity and body indexing.

• Value addition: Women are drying meat, packaging eggs, and producing goat-milk cosmetics to move up the value chain.

These innovations are breaking stereotypes about what rural women can achieve in agriculture.

Women-led small livestock enterprises are leading to:

• Increased household income and asset ownership.

• Improved decision-making power within families.

• Diversified diets and better child nutrition.

• Community leadership as women form cooperatives, manage SHGs, and run training programs.

Importantly, these benefits ripple through families and villages, building collective resilience.

Despite their successes, women face systemic barriers:

• Limited access to credit and formal markets.

• Lack of veterinary services, especially for small livestock.

• Inadequate recognition of agricultural and livestock policy.

• Social norms that restrict women’s mobility or control over earnings.

These hurdles require targeted policy action, including gender-sensitive extension services, financial products for micro-livestock entrepreneurs, and inclusion of small livestock in rural development schemes.

To scale this transformation, India’s development ecosystem must:

• Include small livestock enterprises in NRLM, MGNREGA, and livestock infrastructure funding.

• Invest in training women in business skills, animal husbandry, and technology.

• Facilitate market linkages through cooperatives, FPOs and digital platforms.

• Recognize and support women’s roles in national livestock policies and data systems.

From eggs and milk to innovation and income, women are rewriting the story of small livestock in India. What was once a male-dominated sector is now being transformed by grassroots entrepreneurs who are not just raising animals but raising expectations for themselves, their families, and their communities.

In a time of economic uncertainty, climate change, and rural distress, small livestock in the hands of capable women offers a blueprint for resilient, inclusive, and sustainable development. And in this blueprint, products like hygienic eggs and milk, biproducts are just the beginning.

Empowered women are transforming the livestock industry, bringing fresh eggs and milk innovations to the forefront.